The principal solicitors of the Metropolis met on Monday, at
the Freemason's Tavern, and adopted a petition to the House of Commons, declaring the alarm of the petitioners at the proceedings of the House in the case of Stockdale and Hansard; representing the claim that suitors have upon the assistance of uttornies ; that the proper remedy for an erroneous judgment of the court is pointed out by the law and constitution of the country ; that the constitution does not recognize the right of the House to supersede the administration of the law ; and that the imprisonment of an attorney for acting in his professional capacity, in accordance with the decision of her Majesty's courts of law, is most dangerous to the rights and independence of the peti- tioners' profession and the due administration of justice.
In the Central Criminal Court, on Saturday, Mr. Cope, Keeper of Newgate Prison, handed to the Common Sergeant, a memorial from Stockdale, apprising the Court that he had long been illegally detained in Newgate ; praying inquiry into the circumstances of his case, and, if the Court should not order his release, that his wife -and family might be allowed to visit him on Sundays. Mr. Cope, being called upon by the Common Sergeant, produced the warrant of the Speaker of the House of Commons for detaining Stockdale; whereupon the Judge said he had no jurisdiction in the case.
In the Secondaries Court, yesterday, a Jury assembled to assess da- mages in an action for libel brought in the names of Sir Edward Lytton Bubcer and Lady Bulwer, but really by Lady Bulwer alone, against the publisher of the Court Journal. In a paragraph of that paper, on the 19th October last, inserted among the Paris news, Lady Bulwer was accused of acting towards her brother-in-law, Mr. Henry Bulwer, at a party at Lady Ayhner's, in a manner to excite disgust in the minds of all the English in Paris. It was said that when Lady Bulwer encountered Mr. Henry Bulwer, she placed her arms "a kimbo," and made a " series of grimaces" and "vulgar gestures," not " equalled since the best days of Grimaldi." This story had been positively con- tradicted by Lady Bulwer ; who, in a letter to the Morning Post, also said, she knew " the contemptible quarter from which the journal got its malicious falsehoods." A modified apology only was offered ; and the Jury gave the plaintiff 50/. damages.
At the Marylebone .Office, yesterday, Mr. John Ainslie, veterinary surgeon, Nassau Street, charged Thomas Beck with stealing the Queen's favourite spaniel, " Cherry," which had been placed under his care. Mr. Ainslie had placed Cherry in his drawing-room, intending to de- vote the apartment entirely to Cherry, though a very quiet and harm- less dog belonging to Lady Susan Duncombe had been permitted to associate with her Majesty's favourite. On Thursday night Cherry dis- appeared, and the prisoner was suspected of stealing it. There was no evidence, however, sufficient to detain him Cand the Magistrate advised Mr. Ainslie to offer a large reward for the restoration of Cherry.
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